Critical Analysis of State of Women’s Rights in Nigeria

Abstract

Notwithstanding the provisions of the 1999 Constitution and several International and Regional treaties such as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), the Convention On the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and the Protocol to the Africa Charter on Human and People's Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa; discrimination and violations of women's rights still occupying in Nigeria. Women are discriminated against in the area of politics, decision-making and other spheres; Nigeria is still one of the countries with the highest maternal mortality rate in the world; violence against women exist both in the private and public lives and there are still discriminatory laws that violate the rights of women in our law books. This paper examines the current realities of women's rights in Nigeria under seven headings i.e. Gender Based Violence, Women's Access to land, Access to Justice and Equal Protection Under the Law, Health and Reproductive Rights, Right to Participation in Political and Decision-Making Processes, Right to Inheritance and Marriage, Separation, Divorce and Women's Property Rights. Also, the positive actions that have been taken to address these issues such as the passage of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act and the development of the Standards and Guidelines for the medical management of victims of violence in Nigeria will be discussed. Finally, actions that are required towards the realization of women's rights will also be appraised.

Keywords: women’s rights, Nigeria, discrimination

DOI: 10.7176/JAAS/53-07